Check out photos of the Northern Lights last night from skywatchers across Wisconsin

The Northern Lights graced night skies across Wisconsin and the U.S. on Thursday night after an eruption of solar material caused the NOAA Space Weather Prediction to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch .

Watches at this level are very rare. Strong geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operation, NOAA says.

The watch continues into early Saturday morning, so if you missed the Aurora Borealis last night, you still may be able to see them tonight.

But, if you can't catch the Northern Lights either night, you can enjoy these photos taken in Milwaukee and Wisconsin last night.

More: Northern lights could be visible in Wisconsin as part of a 'very rare' solar storm this week

What causes the Northern Lights?

Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are a natural light display in Earth's sky that is famously best seen in high-latitude regions of the northern and southern hemispheres.

The phenomenon is caused when electrically charged particles from space enter Earth's atmosphere and collide with molecules and gasses like oxygen and nitrogen , causing the atmospheric particles to gain energy. To return to their normal state, the particles release that energy in the form of light, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute website, which tracks the phenomenon.

As Auroras form, Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that have fascinated humans for millennia. Whether hues of green, red, blue and pink dance about in the sky is due to the altitude in which the collisions occur, as well as the composition and density of the atmosphere at the time.

When Northern Lights are active, the best time to see them is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Are the Northern Lights becoming more common?

This isn't the first time this year people throughout Wisconsin caught a glimpse of the Northern Lights. In May, a powerful geomagnetic storm unleashed spectacular views of the northern lights in areas of the U.S. where Auroras are seldom visible, including here in Milwaukee .

As the sun nears the height of its 11-year cycle in 2025, people across the world can expect more frequent and brighter Northern-Light activity due to increased electromagnetic activity.

Best places in Wisconsin to see the Northern Lights

Here's a list of places in Wisconsin that could offer some of the best views of the night sky:

• Newport State Park , Ellison Bay
• Driftless Region, Wisconsin
• Harrington Beach State Park , Belgium
• Kettle Moraine State Forest , Eagle
• Kohler-Andrae State Park , Sheboygan
• Parnell Tower , Plymouth

Journal Sentinel reporter Alex Groth contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Check out photos of the Northern Lights last night from skywatchers across Wisconsin